


Pestilence and Disease

by Raphael_Stantiago



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Ilvermorny, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Triwizard Tournament
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:16:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28572138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raphael_Stantiago/pseuds/Raphael_Stantiago
Summary: He wasn’t wearing  crown but he held himself as if he was, his eyes passing over the students seated on either side of him as if they were nothing more than insects he wanted to squish under a black shoed foot. The two men settled in front of the black mass behind them and turned around. There was a smile on his face nut a twisted one that promised pain, blood, screams and torture. A black one glowed dully on his cheek in the light from the reignited candles, glinting in cold recognition.~Hogwarts AU where the Triwizard Tournament has been a staple in international wizarding culture for decades, but instead of one champion there's two for each school.
Relationships: Allison Reynolds/Renee Walker (All For The Game), Jeremy Knox/Jean Moreau, Kevin Day/Aaron Minyard, Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Seth Gordon/Allison Reynolds
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Pestilence and Disease

Neil sighed as he jogged up the stairs two at a time, bag hitting his knees as he hurried to reach his destination before the stairs changed and he'd be even more later than he already was. He'd barely gotten off the train and into the dining hall before a second year had told him Professor Wymack was asking to see him, he'd anxiously sat through the sorting silently willing the students to move faster and for the names to be called faster. By the time food had started to fill his plate he felt as though he was already five minutes late and he wolfed down a meagre dinner of a few sausages and toast before he was up and out of the hall. The rumbling beneath his feet warned him he'd been thinking for too long and he lunged suddenly, just reaching the relative safety of the landing before the stones he'd stood on only seconds before swung out from the floor and made it's steady way across the open air in front of him. Neil scrambled upright and retrieved his bag from the floor where it had fell when he jumped and pushed through the few students that weren't in the great hall to finally arrive at the defence against the dark arts professor's office.

The door closed behind his slim figure as he slipped into the relatively crowded room, there weren't many people there but it was enough that the small office seemed smaller than it actually was. Chatter filled the brightly lit space as the two groups stood on either side of the small room, voices raised and faces flushed as Neil realised he'd walked in on an argument.  
"Damnit Minyard what have you done to scare that kid away? You know the judges are barely letting us into the tournament as is and Dumbledore will have our heads if he finds out we have to recruit an underprepared student to make up numbers if there is a chance they'll have to play!" Dan Wilds, the captain of the Hogwarts Triwizard Team, was not red in the face but it was a close thing. Fury was evident on her face as she gestured wildly at the man in front of her, most of the team seemed to be sharing her view, their own faces twisted with anger.  
"Boohoo. What a tragedy."  
"Andrew for godsake-" Kevin Day, well known star in the wizarding world for he and his adopted brothers prowess in tournament prep, joined in angrily but cut off at the scathing  
glare Andrew sent him, emotion not cutting through the manic smile than twisted his lips.  
"Kevin grow a fucking spine!" Dan yelled at him as she focused her fury on him, you're just as mad as we are don't shut up because he so much as looks at you!"  
Before anyone had the chance to respond to that accusation David Wymack spoke, standing up from the desk in the far left of the room and striding to stand in the middle of the gap between his team, arms crossed.  
"Minyard cut it out."  
"Coach can't you see these tears?" His grin snaked wider up his face as he gestured to his dry eyes, Wymack stared back unimpressed.  
"If you idiots hadn't been so busy arguing you might have noticed that the man in question is already here." He gestured to where Neil stood against the wall in the back of the room by the door, the cool stone leaking onto his skin through the thick material of his school uniform. "Now can you all shut up, I've got some kind of unpleasant news." Neil noticed Kevin's face pale and knew it was about the school change, he'd found out last year when he was called to the professor's office to finalise his place in the team and had stumbled in on Kevin's mental breakdown.

_His footsteps seemed heavy as he rounded the corner and crossed the few yards towards the office door, it was slightly ajar and Neil walked up to it slowly, pulse beating in his ears in a steady thump, thump, thump.  
“Professor I can’t- when did they even- is this true?” The frantic edge to his voice was all too evident to Neil who recognised it from his own countless times before, the normally aloof man was clearly terrified as he stood shaking in the centre of Wymack’s office, the light staining the side of his face with the oranges and yellows of sunset, standing out against the deadly pale backdrop. He looked like a ghost.  
“It is, I’m sorry, there’s nothing I could do. I argued against it, said it was too late for them to pass off on it but since the arrangements for Beauxbatons hadn’t actually been made before they dropped out they said that nothing was stopping them from seizing this opportunity for publicity, they know pitting you and him together will bring more audiences and by extension more money.”  
“Do you have an owl?” Wymack stared at him for a few moments, confused by his sudden brusque tone so Kevin elaborated. “I need to ask Jean.” The older man nodded and a grey owl swooped through the open window to land on Wymack’s arm, the older man absent mindedly scratching it’s head as Kevin quickly scribbled the note, his hands still shaking as he fastened the slip of paper to the owl’s leg and watched it fly off once more through the open window._

_The next day at breakfast Neil could see the colour drain from his face from across the hall._

"There's been a change in the participants for the tournament. I'm sure you're all aware that Francis Basset, the head of Beauxbatons, has suffered an attack in the holidays. Because of this the school is currently going through enough changes that they could not join the tournament this year. The replacement, is Durmstrang." Gasps and shocked faces littered the room as the rest of Neil's teammates took in the news. For several decades, the Triwizard Tournament that took place in Hogwarts was between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Ilvermorny. Durmstrang took part in the Triwizard Tournament in other parts of the world, and they were good at it. Durmstrang had never lost a Triwizard Tournament in any of the teams memory and to make matters worse, Riko Moriyama was the champion. Riko had taken part in Triwizard Tournaments since he was fourteen years old but had been training for them since birth. He and Kevin grew up together on the Durmstrang grounds as Riko's uncle, Tetsuji, was the headmaster. Ever since Kevin's mother died he had been living and breathing Triwizard Tournament prep, he and Riko had been in the spotlight since they were children with their outstanding pair work and obsessive skills. They had been the Durmstrang pair since they were allowed to play, until last year. There had been chatter in the wizarding world that Kevin would be picked for the next tournament and not Riko, that the pair would be split up because the cup would be able to tell that Kevin was holding back. While it was chatter and conspiracy theories, Riko felt that nothing could be left to chance and when he found Kevin next he shattered his kneecap. Kevin escaped to England, where his mother had lived before her death, and transferred to Hogwarts at the start of last year. Until late last year though, he had been there in a purely coaching position until he joined the team last June. Riko had made it very clear he did not approve of Kevin's change in allegiance and had spoken out about it to the press last year, leading to Kevin spending the summer in Hogsmeade to be as close to Hogwarts' relative safety as he could.

Only two people in the room stood still at the news, Neil who stood silent at the door, more intent on studying his teammates reactions than feigning surprise, and Kevin, whose only reaction was to start shaking and had gone pale.  
"Hey. Hey Kevin. Kevin you don't seem surprised Kevin. Why is that, hm?" The soft tone cut through the relative quiet of the room, deceptive in its gentleness as the man it belonged to twisted Kevin's face to face him, his eyes cold and bright with awful cheer.  
"Andrew please-" Kevin tried to whisper but Andrew's hand tightened on his jaw and he fell silent, instead desperately trying to convey his fear to the blonde in front of him through his wide green eyes.  
"Kevin you know better than to be shaken by this. I'm here, yes? You trust me." Kevin managed a small nod and Andrew studied his face for a few more moments before letting go and settling back into his lazy positon. Kevin by his side still seemed tense but he'd relaxed after Andrew's words, confident in the other mans ability to protect him from the monsters that seemed to be in his shadow. Neil, however, was not so confident. The family Kevin was running from was a shade of a black market, dark arts empire. Kengo Moriyama posed as an international ambassador but his actual wealth came from an underground mass market of poison, illegal potions, hitmen and dark artefacts. His empire was equal parts loyal as it was ruthless, built on the trust you have in a persons actions and not their family or their name. Riko was apart of that family, in a way, which meant he posed a larger threat than Neil thought one 5" man could handle, especially when hindered by a man who was terrified out of his mind. The news had left a downside on the assembled group, even Nicky stood quiet and Seth stood in the corner with sneering amusement on his face. Really, Neil thought to himself, Seth was just the person that gave Slytherin a bad name for the rest of them. Wymack gave out a few more notices before he dismissed the group for the night, the team's minds elsewhere.

Neil trudged back to the common room by himself, it wasn't as if he didn't have teammates in Slytherin, he'd just rather walk with people who weren't all over each other. Allison and Seth were in an on period in their relationship which meant the pair were always together and were often attached at the mouths. Even now two meters in front he could hear Allison's flirty giggles and Seth's voice floating down the corridor behind him and resolved to walk quicker. It wasn't their relationship that made him uncomfortable, Neil was used to PDA from living for the majority of six years in a boarding school, he just didn't know how to deal with it when it was more than background noise. At least when Allison was distracted by Seth she didn't bother the rest of them as much, and Seth had less opportunity to be a raging bigot.

He rounded the last corner and entered the common room, the password leaving his mouth in a quiet voice (Callidus Angius) as he slipped through the door that posed as a wall and entered the gloomy room. Few students were in the common room than usual, the train ride and belly full of warm rich food sending most to an early bed but a few stayed behind, catching up on summer homework or writing letters to their family. He didn't spare them a second glance before he was moving passed them, down the tunnel like corridor to the left and opened the second door. The other boys were asleep so Neil tried to be as quiet as he could, it helped that his bed was closets to the door, and slipped into bed as his watch ticked to eleven.

~

The beginning of term lessons passed by in crawling seconds, but Neil wasn't paying attention to his Professor preaching about the importance of staying focused in sixth year,  
"Your NEWT's might be a year away but that is no reason to slack off! This year is crucial to your understanding and development in these subjects.", He was focused more on the bigger problem at hand. Kevin Day was hard enough to live and work with regularly, but combined with Riko he knew he was facing a losing battle. Both of the other men had been with Neil six years ago when they witnessed Neil's father torture a man with dark spells, even if Kevin hadn't recognised him yet, he knew Riko would. Now would be the best time to leave, sure his teammates would have to find a new nominee for the tournament but it was better for him to escape before Riko caught sight of his face. These thoughts cycled through Neil's head the entire week, at dinner times, at practices after school and in the mornings, and during lessons. His only saving grace being that his teachers didn't expect him to talk out loud and contribute in class, Neil didn't think he could cope if he had to answer pointless school questions. He shook his head and gathered up his empty parchment when he heard the bell rang, leaving the class before the rest of his fellow pupils he escaped into the courtyard, feeling a desperate need to feel the air on his face and to se the sky. To know that he wasn't trapped in an aging castle and could escape if he needed to. To know there was a way out.

Cold droplets hit his face and he moved his head so it wasn't turned up at the sky and made his way under the safety of the building, winding through the thronging masses to get some homework done before dinner was called. The library was peaceful to Neil, and it had the added benefit of being a space away from his team. Andrew claimed he was allergic to books, plus Neil was pretty sure he had been banned from the library in third year when he trashed the place in drug induced mania, and his lot followed his lead and didn't come too often. The seventh years all preferred to stay in their common rooms and study which was fine by Neil since he wasn't in most of their houses and wasn't in the common room enough to see Allison and Seth engaged in whatever they spent their time doing. The dim light also suited Neil as the gloom helped him focus and reminded him of summers hidden in dank hotels with his mother, mould clouding the air around them. Half an hour passed in relative bliss before Neil rose, flexing his hand from where it had cramped after writing so much (even if the schoolwork was pointless he wasn't going to fall behind) and once again gathering his things. He stalked out of the library and into the Great Hall, settling into a seat two empty spaces down from his teammates in his house and helping himself to the ample amounts of health foods the school had to offer. He had eaten about two mouthfuls before the lights went out and he looked up.

Floating balls of warm, soft yellow light seemed to float in from the entrance to the hall, ethereal shadows hung beneath them as they made their way around the room, bobbing softly in the air above the students in a gentle way, it was almost as if the light were smiling at them. A few moments later, people followed the lights, dressed in purple and gold school robes the students of Ilvermorny streamed into the room, armed with bright smiles and friendly eyes, highfiving the Hogwarts students sitting on the aisle in their path. On of the first students behind the Professor accompanying them stopped by the Ravenclaw table for a few moments longer than he did at any other point and when his figure finally moved it revealed a pleased looking Kevin. Clearly the man was Ilvermorny Tournament Team Captain Jeremy Knox, well known man in Triwizard news he was almost as good as Riko and Kevin but of a much sunnier disposition. His happiness was so enticing Neil could tell why Kevin, a man starved of happiness for a long time in his life, liked being friends with him. The students soon passed and stood to the right of Dumbledore, Professor Rhennen shaking hands with Dumbledore and then doing so again with Wymack when he stood up, the smile on his face almost as big as Jeremy's. 

Fierce drumming interrupted the so-called reunion between the two professors as twenty eight men and two women streamed into the room, dressed head to toe in black they walked in V formation to the sound of the ominous drumming Neil noticed was coming from regular intervals around the sides of the room, younger pupils of Durmstrang also dressed in black carried huge drums and and beat a steady, sinister rhythm, accompanying the the procession in the middle of the hall. They walked slower and with more purpose than the Ilvermorny students and where they had smiled, these students stalked down the hall with disdain and some so far as disgust written plainly on their faces. Ig any Hogwarts students got upset by thus, you wouldn't be able to tell as as hush fell when two new men walked into the hall, the other Durmstrang students spreading to let them pass into the front of the formation like rippling water, disturbed ever so slightly but slipping seamlessly back into place. They arrived at the teachers table and turned left, in absolute synchronicity before falling into place behind the two men who finally turned to face their audience. 

The glowing lights had long sputtered out but Neil had not noticed, his and many of his teammates eyes following the man who walked so confidently at the front of the flock of pupils, like warlock from a muggle story conducting a cloud of pestilence and disease. He wasn't wearing a crown but he held himself as if he was, his eyes passing over the students seated on either side of him as if they were nothing more than insects he wanted to squish under a black shoed foot. His shoulders were straight, his posture finely honed and for a relatively short man he commanded the room with his presence, filling the room and minds of those who were 'lucky' enough to be near him. He waited as the man next to him held a short, stiff conversation with Dumbledore, only sparing the headmaster a single thin smile that didn't meet his cold eyes. The two men settled in front of the black mass behind them and turned around. There was a smile on his face but a twisted one that promised pain, blood, screams and torture. A black one glowed dully on his cheek in the light from the reignited candles, glinting in cold recognition.

Riko Moriyama stood in front of Hogwarts school, and turned his smile on Kevin.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for getting this far everyone, I'm not sure how reliable my update times are going to be, I'll try and get a chapter out per week but it might be more often than that or less frequent who knows. Feel free to leave kudos and comments, it makes me want to keep writing and it makes my day :) (The title is a work in progress so if anyone wants to suggest one in the comments that would be great)
> 
> P.S if you don't know what houses everyone is in yet don't worry! It will become clearer as the story goes on
> 
> Callidus Anguis = Cunning Snake in latin, courtesy of google translate


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